I Think I Love You
by markaleen
Summary: AU to the episode Dark Side Of Moon. Another way Niles and Daphne could have gotten together. Please R R
1. Chapter 1

Note- I do NOT own any of the Frasier characters or any content from it. All credit for the show goes to Paramount and everyone else associated with the show.

Also, I had no idea how to spell the Doctor's name so I hope it's right! ~markaleen

* * *

"I have so many questions! What does this mean? What do I do?"

That was what Daphne was thinking after Dr. Macaskial helped her realize that she may be in love with Niles. She didn't know what to think.

She had found out not too long ago that Niles has had feelings for her for the past seven years. She didn't know what to think then either. This whole thing kept getting more confusing.

She sort of knew that she had some feelings for Niles when she first found out how he felt. She couldn't stop thinking about him, she would get nervous when he was around, but at the same time it made her happy to be around him.

There was one time a few weeks ago when they were both cooking at Frasier's. They were having a good time. They were goofing around a bit. All innocent. Much like a few years ago when they were cooking for this Daphyillis woman. Only time we they were cooking for Mel. Also this time Niles burnt his hand on a hot pan. Naturally, Daphne rubbed some aloe lotion on the burn. T first, she was rubbing it like she normally would for anyone, but then, started rubbing his hand affectionately. She had no idea what came over her. She was pretty sure that he had noticed. Thank God Martin came in when he did. Though, that probably wasn't as bad as the time a little over a week ago when Niles had told her that her eyes weren't dull at all when he was assuring her that eyes weren't dull after she had stated that she had always wanted sparkling blue eyes instead of "dull old brown". Along with that he also said that her eyes were warm and full of life. The tone of his voice told her that he meant it. Her heart raced at that moment. She could help herself and told him that he had beautiful eyes as well. She hadn't really thought about what it might sound like until she heard it spill out of her mouth. Panicked, she made up a lame excuse to get out of there. Then she spent the next eight hours looking for Frasier's Oat Bran.

_All of this is happening so suddenly!_

Dr. Macaskial spoke, interrupting Daphne's thoughts.

"Well first, tell me a bit more about Niles and your current relationship with him. How long have you known him?"

"Seven years."

"Alright… Have you ever noticed any feelings for him before? Even if it was just a little crush?"

Daphne didn't really know how to answer.

"Well… I have been thinking about him quite a bit lately. You see, Dr. Crane hurt his back. He though that part of the problem with it was stress, so he was trying some sort of exercise when he listed everything on his mind that may be bothering him. I had walked in, not knowing he was home, and then I heard him say that he loved me and wanted to show me while he still had the chance. Well, when I told Mr. Crane what I had heard and he said that it had been going on for seven years. Anyways, Dr. Crane had taken some pills to help his back, but before they made him all loopy, he told me that I had missed understood what I had heard and that he only loved me as a friends. As I was giving him a massage to help, we started talking a bit, but the pills started getting to his head. It was at that time it had occurred to me that if Dr. Crane only loved me as a friend, what did Mr. Crane mean when he had said that he had been in love with me for seven years. So I asked Dr. Crane and it was then when he told me that Mr. Crane had meant the other Dr. Crane and that he was crazy about me. I was completely taken aback! After all that, I couldn't stop thinking about him. I wasn't sure if I felt the same way about him or if it was just wedding jitters."

"Did you ever tell him that you had found out?"

"I tried. A few days after I found out, Dr. Crane was having a Christmas party. He of course invited his brother. I had planned on telling him that I knew how he felt and that I didn't feel the same way, and that I was in love with Donny and nothing was going to happen between us."

"Sounds like you had it all planned out. What stopped you from telling him?"

"He had asked me if he could talk to me out on the balcony. I figured that that was the best time to tell him. He started out by saying that he wished that there was an easier way to tell me what was on his mind, but I interrupted him saying I wanted to say something first. I started to say it but then he realized that I was cold and gave me his jacket. I tried to continue. All I could manage to get out was, 'I know that…' but then I looked into his eyes… his… beautiful eyes… I was starting to stutter, so he said that he would start. I tried to stop him but he insisted that he had something really important that he needed to say and that it couldn't wait any longer. I thought he was going to tell me how he felt so I just said 'yes?' I couldn't take me eyes off of his. He started saying how difficult it was for him to tell me this, and again I replied with 'yes?' but then, he said that he needed his Christmas present back. I couldn't tell if I was mad or relieved. Well actually, first I was shocked, then relieved, but then, I found myself staring at him with Mel."

"Mel?

"Yes, his girlfriend."

"Right."

"They had had a fight at that particular time so it seemed like it would have been easier to talk to him, but now that they're back together, I don't see the point. He's with Mel, I'm with Donny, and we're both happy with them."

"But, you said yourself that you haven't been able to stop thinking about Niles…"

"That's true…"

"And that you find yourself staring at him…"

"That's true…"

"And that when you went to his house the night of your bridal shower, a party was the last thing you expected."

"You're right…"

"So you really have to think, are you truly happy with Donny?"

Daphne thought for a moment.

_How can I tell for sure?_

"I don't think I am…"

Dr. Macaskial nodded and looked at Daphne.

"But even if I'm not happy with Donny and if I tell Dr. Crane how I may feel… what about Mel? I'm not, and clearly never was, too found of the woman but she really seems to like care about Dr. Crane."

"I'm sure she does, but what makes you say that?"

"A couple weeks ago, Maris, Dr. Crane's ex-wife, found out that he and Mel were together."

"Were Maris and Mel friends?"

"Mel is, well… was, Maris' plastic surgeon."

"I see."

"Anyway, Maris used to be a twig, but now, she's more like a pumpkin. She was angry and jealous so she was telling everyone that the cause of her gained weight was that Mel had aggravated her thyroid during a prosier. People were canceling on her and she was worried that eventually Maris would ruin her practice. She was very stressed about the whole thing so Dr. Crane asked me if I could give her a massage to help her relax. I wasn't very happy about it though, it was bad enough that I didn't necessarily care for Mel, but I had a splitting headache that night. My point is that while I was giving her a massage she said how much he cared for Dr. Crane and that she wouldn't stop seeing him as Maris demanded even if it would destroy her practice. She mentioned his laugh, the glint in his eyes… I couldn't help but smile thinking about it. My mind sort of wandered after that. I don't think Mel noticed, but I'm pretty sure she was glad that I stopped trying to wring her neck."

"Wring her neck?"

"It was a good way of getting some anger out."

"Hmm… that's interesting."

"It is?"

"Yes."

"How come?"

"Well, there definitely many other reasons for you causing the four car pile up, but I think a lot of you anger is about this situation with Niles."

"You think so?"

"Yes, keeping something bottled up like this for so long isn't good. Assuming you didn't tell anyone else that you knew."

"I actually did tell my friend Roz, but I didn't say much after that."

"That's good but still inside, this is causing quite a bit of stress. After a certain period of time, something that's bottled up like this all of a sudden comes out in one huge breakdown, which in your case, was the pile up."

"But the situation with Dr. Crane isn't all anger."

"Yes, but this seems to be taking over you, physically and emotionally. It's taken over your mind. I really think you go and talk to him right now."

"But-"

"No buts, forget about Mel, forget about Donny, you need to talk to Niles and that's final."

Daphne sat quietly for a moment.

I do need to talk to him. Let him know how I feel…

"Thank you Dr. Macaskial, you have been very helpful."

Dr. Macaskial smiles, "It was my pleasure."

"I'm going to go see Dr. Crane right now. Well, after I stop over at Donny's. I have something I need to tell him as well."

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

Daphne stood up, grabbed her coat, and started heading for the door.

"Oh and Daphne?"

"Yes?"

"Seriously start considering calling him Niles."

"I will."

_Depending how things go._

With that she left.

_Next stop… hell._


	2. Chapter 2

_**Maybe I should have called you first but I was dying to get to you.**_

_**I was dreaming while I drove the long straight road ahead…**_

I Drove All Night – Celine Dion

_

* * *

__Wow._

That was pretty much all that Daphne could think after she talked to Donny.

She told him that she couldn't marry him. She loved him, but not enough or in a way that she couldn't marry him.

I can't marry him, or be together with him, even if Dr. Crane is over me. Donny is a great man, but he's just not the one for me.

_Hell. I should have stuck with what my visions were telling me when I found out that Donny was going to propose. The man I kept seeing must have been Dr. Crane!_

_Wait a minute…_

_When I went to see him the day I had my first vision about a mystery man, at first he told me that I should say no to Donny, but after he was alone with his brother, he took back what he had said and agreed with his brother. Could it be that he was trying to get Donny out of the picture so he could tell me how he felt? Would he do something like that?_

_No. That doesn't seem like something he would do._

After what seemed to be hours of driving, Daphne finally arrived at the Montana.

Here goes nothing.

_Again…_

She was almost at the floor Niles lived on when suddenly the elevator suddenly stopped.

_Bloody hell! _

She picked up the emergency phone.

"Hello? Hello? Is anybody there?"

A man answered.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"This is Daphne Moon. I'm calling from one of the elevators in the Montana apartment complex. It seems to have gotten stuck."

"Alright Ma'am, is there anyone else in the elevator with you?"

"No, just me."

"Okay, I'll be able to get someone over within the hour to help you."

"Within the hour! Can't anyone get here sooner?"

"I'm sorry Ma'am."

"Well is there to get out of here myself?"

"Well there is a release switch but you would have to climb out through the little door on the top of the elevator."

She looked up at the door.

"How am I supposed to get up there? Even if I do get up there I'll be surprised if I can fit through there!"

"I'm sorry then, but you'll just have to wait."

"But you don't understand! I have to talk to Dr. Crane! I need to tell him that I know about his feelings for me and that I think I feel the same way! I just told my finance that I couldn't marry him because of this! I need to talk to him now!"

"Look lady, I don't have a clue what you're saying, but what I'm saying is that I can't get anyone over there now."

"Fine!"

She angrily hung up.

_Great. What am I supposed to do here for an hour?_

She sat on the floor of the elevator for a while.

She managed to reach the door by standing on the bar in the elevator. She could get her head through the door but that was it.

_Swell. Just swell._

Maybe if reach me hand through I'll be able to find the switch.

She got her hand through the door and started feeling around for it.

Just then Niles came out of his apartment. He pressed the button for the elevator and realized that it wasn't working.

_Hmm. That's odd…_

Daphne thought she was getting close to the switch when she felt something furry under her hand. I was moving too.

She screamed extremely loud. Not so much of the rat but everything else as well.

Niles heard a scream and called down to the elevator where he was pretty sure the scream had come from.

"Hello! Is anyone down there? Is everything alright?"

Daphne heard the call and the voice was familiar.

She responded, "Dr. Crane! Is that you?"

"Daphne?"

"Yes, it's me! I'm stuck in the elevator!"

"Are you alright? I thought I heard a scream!"

"You did! I'm looking for the release switch and I found a rat!

"I'm sorry! Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thanks, but I don't think- wait a minute! I think I found the release switch!"

She did.

"Hold on, I'm coming up!"

"Alright!"

Alright Daphne, you need to tell him.

The elevator doors opened and Daphne immediately hugged Niles, which shocked him a bit.

"Daphne, how long were you stuck in there?"

Still hugging him, "About twenty minutes."

"Wow, well I'm glad you're alright."

Daphne pulled away.

"Dr. Crane, I really need to talk to you. Are you busy?"

"Well, actually, I was just heading over to Mel's…"

Niles could see the change in Daphne's face when he said that.

"Well, I guess I can talk if it's really that important."

She sighed, "Oh, no that's alright… you go ahead."

"No, you came all this way to tell me something obviously important."

"Alright."

Niles opened the door to his apartment so that they could talk privately.

"There we go. So what is it that you need to talk about?"

"Well…" she sat down on the couch, "I just came from a therapy session, you know, like the judge suggested."

"Yes?"

"Well, she helped me realize something…"

"What's that?"

"Well, first… I should start with something that I should have told you months ago."

He was getting a little worried.

"Yes?"

"I know…"

"Know what?"

"I know…I…"

Come on Daphne you can do it!

"I know about how you've felt about me all these years."

Niles was completely shocked.

"What? How? It was Frasier wasn't it?"

"Yes, but that's not important. What's important is that… that… that I feel the same way… I know you're with Mel now and that you may not have those feelings anymore but I needed you to know how I felt."

He just looked at her.

At least he knows.

She stood up, "Well, I've taken up enough of your time. I'll be going."

He couldn't let Daphne leave.

"Daphne. Wait."

"Yes?"

Niles grabbed her and kissed her. He kissed her the way he had always dreamed of.

They stayed like that for quite some time.

When they finally pulled away they both smiled.

"Forget Mel. I'm staying right here with you, the true love of my life."

By this point Daphne was practically in tears.

"Oh Niles!"

This time she kissed him. She pulled him as close to her as she could.

"I love you, Daphne."

"I love you too, Niles"

The End.


End file.
